The Leaving Feast
by udderpd
Summary: Harry makes a decision and when he tells Hermione Luna tags along.


**Disclaimer.** All of the people and places you recognise from the books, used in this short story, belong to J. K. Rowing; mine are all of the rubbish bits that join them all together.

**The Leaving Feast**

**By UdderPD**

It was five thirty in the morning and Harry Potter was lying awake in his four poster bed in the Gryffindor forth year boys dormitory; he was coming to some final conclusions. He decided to go for a shower and then get dressed . . . he would still be early but he would go down to the common room and await his best friend; it didn't matter what day of the week it was, she was never late getting up.

Hermione came down at about twenty past six carrying a book, it was too early for breakfast however it was starting to get light, so he persuaded her to put her book back into her room and to come for a walk around the lake.

The pair reached the entry hall and there, apparently waiting for them, was a pretty, silvery blue eyed, blond haired, third year Ravenclaw girl; she smiled shyly, and asked, "May I walk with you?"

Without hesitation, Hermione said, "Of course you can, what's your name?"

Her smile lit up her face and as they started walking, she said, "My name is Luna Lovegood, and I'm a third year although I am only about two months younger than Harry; I must tell you that I sometimes see things and I saw myself walking with you and Harry Potter this morning . . . I hope that you don't think I am strange?"

"My name is Hermione Granger, and I sometimes wave a stick and a matchstick changes into a needle . . . I hope that you don't think that I am strange?"

The three of them started giggling as they started walking around the lake.

**-x-**

Harry was looking thoughtful, "I was going to tell Hermione something's that are kind of confidential, and so I was going to ask her to promise not to tell anybody until at least tomorrow, that is, if she didn't agree with what I was going to propose; if she does she won't tell anyone anyway."

Luna immediately took her wand from behind her ear, she held it up and said, "I swear on my magic not to tell anybody what Harry Potter and Hermione Granger tell me this morning without their express permission . . . you know and trust Hermione but you have only just met me so I don't think that you should trust me yet."

Hermione smiled as she made her promise, and Harry said, "You know that every year something crazy happens to me, and the only good thing that has ever happened at Halloween was Hermione becoming my best friend in first year, even that required the help of a right troll. Well it's Halloween and at tonight's feast they are going to draw names for school champions, out of that Goblet of fire thingy. I have not put my name into the silly thing and I swear that if my name comes out of it and I am forced to enter their competition, I will leave Hogwarts . . . tonight."

Both girls looked somewhat shocked so he quickly carried on, "The second week of the summer holiday, Sirius was under my invisibility cloak and he came with me to Gringotts, the Goblins are not the least bit bothered about him having escaped from Azkaban. Having seen my parents 'Wills', they were well aware that he couldn't possibly be guilty of what the Ministry say he did, and they also know that Peter Pettigrew is still alive.

"Because he is my magically sworn godfather, if anything happened to my parents he automatically becomes my guardian; I found out a whole lot of things about my family and what the Headmaster has been up to. Most of what I found out, his hairiness, as my pseudo magical guardian, should have told me, and he shouldn't have been taking five thousand Galleons a month, that's over twenty five thousand pounds, out of my account. The Goblins know where he has been stashing the money and they are ready to recover all of it with interest if I make a move; he has been stealing from me for over thirteen years. By the end of summer he owed me well over three quarters of a million Galleons; that's over four million quid; reclaiming that and the interest will leave him all but broke. I was amused when Ragnok told me that they would also take their commission from Dumbledore's vault, that will leave him broke, in point of fact he will owe them money; they don't like people who don't have the means to repay it, owing them money.

"Obviously I am not poor, and my thought was that I can afford to leave here and if necessary employ private tutors to continue my education elsewhere. Being what a devious scoundrel Dumbledolt has turned out to be I was going to offer the same opportunity to my best friend, since a bit earlier today, I started wondering if I should offer the same opportunity to Luna as well . . . that is if she wants."

It was quiet for a couple of minutes before Luna said, "We have been out here for a fair while, let's go and have some breakfast; whilst we consider the options."

**-x-**

Having had breakfast the trio were once again walking around the lake and Hermione asked, "How and where would we go?"

She hadn't said no so he was smiling as he answered, "Where is easiest; I have a huge place just south of Naples, it's facing the sea on Marco Island, and it looks a bit like a hotel . . ."

Hermione interrupted, "I've been to Naples a couple of times, and I've never noticed a place called Marco Island."

Blushing he said, "I was going to add that I was talking about Naples Florida, as in the United States of America."

She was now blushing, "Sorry."

For the first time ever he kissed her cheek, and said, "Obviously I have not been there, but I have seen loads of photographs, and no, I don't have any here, I figured that if anybody found them I would be getting the third degree, you will have to take my word that it is very nice."

After him kissing her cheek he could have told her that the moon was made of blue cheese and she would have believed him.

He continued, "Getting there is actually not as much of a problem as I originally thought it would be.

"Years ago Sirius and Remus watched a load of 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars' with my parents and in a way they got hooked; as I told you I'm rich, well so is Sirius. Between Sirius and my dad they put up a load of money, and being muggle born my mum helped them set up a company, it's called Technomancer Industries. It's in Silicon Valley and everybody who works there is either magical or knows about magic, they use magic and technology to turn cool Sci Fy stuff into working reality."

He dug around in one of his pockets and pulled out a chrome tube about a foot long, he looked around before pushing a switch and a four foot beam came out of the top; Hermione's eyes were like saucers, "My dad would give you my mum and me for a light sabre."

He smiled and kissed her cheek again, "I don't need your mum . . . only you." She was in heaven.

He continued, "This one is not really a light sabre, I figured that it would be too dangerous to bring one here, if you fight with two of this kind they behave and sound like light sabres, but if I hit you with this one it's like being hit with a marshmallow. I have another one like this in my pocket but if we were to fence with them there would be a huge light show and I don't need the attention that would bring . . . especially today.

"Anyway we were talking about getting to Naples." He dug into another pocket and pulled out something that looked very much like a television remote control, and continued, "It's not a TV remote, it is a portable portal maker; I won't activate it here because it might cause a disturbance in the wards; if it does that tonight when I am leaving possibly with others it won't matter."

Both of the girls were smiling hugely.

Hermione said, "I am very tempted to say let's not wait until this evening let's go now; what do you think Luna?"

Luna smiled, "I originally asked if I might walk with you, I didn't limit our interaction to just this morning . . . I will walk with you as long as you allow me to. If you want to both leave now I will happily come with you; but what are we going to do about our things?"

Looking a bit more serious Harry said, "I have two friends who are house elves, they will collect all of your things from your dormitories, even things that are not in the immediate vicinity of your bed, they will bring them to where we are going. With this portal-maker you can save locations and this morning Dobby has saved both of your homes and both of your dorm rooms in it, we should have no problem getting away when we want to.

"Being honest tonight's feast, no the Tri-wizard Tournament Draw was to be the Dumb old dork's last chance, although the more I think about it, the more certain I am that tomorrow we will be on a warm beach."

Hermione looked at Luna and said, "Tomorrow is Sunday, and personally I think that we should seriously consider leaving, even if nothing untoward happens at tonight's feast." She kissed him on the lips.

Smirking Luna said, "That looks like fun." And she kissed Harry as well, when she stopped, she asked, "I have never kissed a boy before so I hope that that was alright. Anyway I agree with Hermione, if we are still here tomorrow we should give serious consideration to doing a bunk."

For his part Harry was just going to go with the flow.

The trio pretty much stuck together until it was time to get ready to go to the Halloween feast.

Of course, throughout the afternoon both of the girls were finding places to kiss Harry, he was continually spaced out which was why he didn't find anywhere himself for the kissing exchange.

Hermione wrote quite a long a note to her parents telling them that whatever else they heard she was fine and she would contact them very soon with some photographs and a more detailed explanation. Luna's note to her dad varied only in as much as she recommended that he should come to the name draw this evening, in lieu of the photographs.

**-x-**

Where they would be sitting had been discussed and as usual Hermione and Harry were sat together with Luna at the Ravenclaw table their backs were towards each other, they didn't want it to be too obvious; they were as far from the teachers as they could get.

The feast progressed as usual, and when the final desert dishes had been cleared away the Goblet of Fire was brought in; it was still burning and looking at his watch, the Headmaster said, "We only have to wait another few seconds."

Almost immediately the flames went out and a piece of paper was ejected from the goblet, and a blond haired French girl was called; she was followed by a Bulgarian Quidditch player and Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts; the trio was a little relieved.

Their relief was short lived; a fourth piece of paper was ejected by the goblet, Luna and Hermione had been watching the proceedings, but now they were staring at each other.

"Harry Potter."

He stood up, "What might I do for you . . . Headmaster?"

"Your name has come out of the Goblet of Fire, so you are to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament; will you please go to the room at the back of the stage, and await further instructions."

Rolling his eyes, Harry said, "What are you trying to pull this year . . . Headmaster? I didn't put my name into the Goblet because, firstly I am too young, and secondly I do not wish to compete . . . the opposition don't usually do too well against me . . . are you trying to give them three free shots this year?"

Harry and Dumbledore were having an argument about his participation in the Tournament when, of course, Snape had to poke his nose in; Harry told him to keep his vile Death Eater nose out of the Potter family's affairs.

As the screaming reached a crescendo Harry Potter turned.

Hermione and Luna stood and turned, all three stepped over their benches, and when a portal appeared they calmly walked through it, it and they disappeared.

Silence had instantly replaced the bedlam, and it was only broken by the scratching of the journalists' quills.

**-x-**

Kiss, "You got us here early." Luna said.

Kiss, "He did too, didn't he, and as he said it's very nice here." Hermione sounded very happy.

Two girls and a boy walking along a Florida beach in the afternoon didn't raise any eyebrows, and, decisive as always he said, "I think that I love both of you."

**The End**

**Authors Notes.**

Being as how I am one of the offenders when it comes to reviewing other peoples writing, it would be churlish of me to expect you to behave any differently. However I do provide for those of you who only read but do not give us something to read; I really think that the read only crew should at least offer their thanks to those of us who provide for their succour.

This short story is finished, however if you have reached this point you will realise that there is a whole lot of the story that could have been told. There is the story of Hermione, Luna and Harry in Florida or Silicon Valley or both or returning to England; all with or without the girls parents not to mention Remus and Sirius. There is also the story of what transpires after the trio leave the Halloween feast; that could be as long and diverse as one would wish to make it. Ultimately there are the two stories together; but only if you believe that Harry is the only one who can kill Voldemort. I am going to stop now and hope that someone will take up the story.

I could possibly take up part of it myself, but I am over seventy and I can only type when my hands let me.

**U_PD**


End file.
